Modern semiconductor devices such as, for example, integrated circuit (IC) devices or chips may typically be manufactured by processing a semiconductor substrate or wafer. Processing a wafer may sometimes include etching, for example plasma etching, a side of the wafer where the semiconductor is processed, herein also referred to as the front side of the wafer. Plasma etching the front side of the wafer may, for example, be applied for dicing the wafer (e.g. using the so-called Bosch plasma etch process) or forming one or more through-hole vias (e.g. through-silicon vias (TSVs)) in the wafer.
Frequently, the front side of a wafer may be covered by a passivation or passivation layer, and an etch mask used for plasma etching the front side of the wafer may be disposed over the passivation. The etch mask may be removed again from the passivation after the plasma etching, and chip packaging material (e.g. mold compound) may, for example, be disposed over the passivation to form a chip package. Adhesion of the chip package to the chip may be dependent on the surface of the passivation, which may form the interface to the package.